{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1", "title": "troykitch.com", "icon": "https://cdn.micro.blog/troykitch/avatar.jpg", "home_page_url": "https://troykitch.com/", "feed_url": "https://troykitch.com/feed.json", "items": [ { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2026/04/03/just-finished-installing-a-threebarrel.html", "content_html": "\"A\n

Just finished installing a three-barrel rain catchment system for our backyard with a kit from BlueBarrel. It was a fun project. BlueBarrel is worth checking out if you’re looking for rain barrel options.

\n", "date_published": "2026-04-03T20:14:25-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2026/04/03/just-finished-installing-a-threebarrel.html", "tags": ["DIY","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2026/03/04/ive-been-away-from-posting.html", "content_html": "\"A\n

I stepped away from posting (and woodworking) for a couple of months, but I’m back with a simple project. This is a barebones bed frame to hold a tatami mat, creating useful storage space underneath. Total lumber cost was $50. I made it in a day with hand tools, except for the screw assembly — I splurged and used a power drill for that!

\n\"A\n", "date_published": "2026-03-04T13:47:34-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2026/03/04/ive-been-away-from-posting.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/12/20/after-gutting-my-broken-tube.html", "content_html": "

After gutting my broken tube radio, I couldn’t bear to toss the tubes, so I made a little display for kicks. I was going to add utility (e.g., a pen holder or something), but decided to leave it and display it as “old tech art.”

\n\"Four\n", "date_published": "2025-12-20T14:00:38-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/12/20/after-gutting-my-broken-tube.html", "tags": ["woodworking","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/12/14/i-finally-got-around-to.html", "content_html": "

I finally got around to gutting and cleaning up this old, broken German radio. Now it has a HomePod inside. I use the iMac next to it to hold an iPad, so now I have a fun setup in the shop for streaming music. The tube radio parts I removed are fascinating.

\n\"an\n\"the\n", "date_published": "2025-12-14T08:43:29-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/12/14/i-finally-got-around-to.html", "tags": ["Apple","hardware","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/12/11/my-wife-shot-this-image.html", "content_html": "

My wife shot this image of a golden eagle this morning using her iPhone while we were out near Gathland State Park in Maryland. I think it’s an impressive image given the equipment. The most impressive part was the proximity of the eagle, who couldn’t care less that we were so close.

\n\"Golden\n", "date_published": "2025-12-11T20:01:46-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/12/11/my-wife-shot-this-image.html", "tags": ["Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/12/08/the-trend-of-using-verbs.html", "content_html": "

The trend of using verbs as nouns greatly annoys me, e.g., compute, spend, build.

\n", "date_published": "2025-12-08T09:22:06-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/12/08/the-trend-of-using-verbs.html" }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/12/06/i-switched-to-fastmails-macos.html", "content_html": "

I switched to Fastmail’s macOS app when introduced a few months back, but I switched back to FMail3. It’s better in many ways, notably not an electron app, small size, and more features/benefits. See: Fmail3

\n", "date_published": "2025-12-06T19:01:58-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/12/06/i-switched-to-fastmails-macos.html" }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/30/north-point-state-park-near.html", "content_html": "

North Point State Park, near Baltimore, yesterday morning. If you look closely, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is in the far distance. Interesting place with remains of an amusement park from the early 1900s.

\n\"North\n", "date_published": "2025-11-30T08:25:27-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/30/north-point-state-park-near.html", "tags": ["Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/28/the-bevel-kabob-what-a.html", "content_html": "

The bevel kabob. What a clever idea for drilling straight angled cuts: blog.lostartpress.com/2025/11/2…

\n", "date_published": "2025-11-28T14:15:12-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/28/the-bevel-kabob-what-a.html" }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/27/ive-listened-to-fela-kuti.html", "content_html": "

I’ve listened to Fela Kuti for several decades in total ignorance of his story. Highly recommend this podcast series, I learned so much: Fela Kuti: Fear No Man 🎵

\n", "date_published": "2025-11-27T21:46:46-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/27/ive-listened-to-fela-kuti.html" }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/24/182339.html", "content_html": "

Genius. www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/11/o…

\n", "date_published": "2025-11-24T19:23:39-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/24/182339.html" }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/20/we-noticed-this-bee-on.html", "content_html": "

We noticed this bee on some woodland sage in our yard. It hadn’t moved in over a day, so we poked at it. Nothing. So we assumed it died and brought it inside for a flower display of sorts. The next day, we discovered … not dead. It began to move in slow motion. So we gave it some sugar water and put it back outside. I suppose you could say we’re easily entertained?

\n\"woodland\n", "date_published": "2025-11-20T13:54:33-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/20/we-noticed-this-bee-on.html", "tags": ["Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/15/final-wood-box-with-removable.html", "content_html": "

Final wood box with removable bottom drawer. Mistakes were made, but made it work. I planned to dovetail the sides, but grain directions were wrong. So I went with mortise/tenons, but they were shallow so I worried about strength. So I did something I rarely do: use hardware. I reinforced the corners with screws. Not my best work, but it will do the job! I’m happy with the curved corners, mostly (made with bow saw and my prized Auriou rasps from France).

\n\"Cherry\n", "date_published": "2025-11-15T08:57:06-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/15/final-wood-box-with-removable.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/07/i-decided-to-add-a.html", "content_html": "

I decided to add a pullout bottom to the firewood box so it’s easy to clean. When it’s closed up, you don’t notice it’s there (unless you’re looking closely). It’s pretty much done, except for the hours of card scraping and finishing.

\n\"Cherry\n", "date_published": "2025-11-07T12:39:00-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/07/i-decided-to-add-a.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/06/sad-to-see-seemed-there.html", "content_html": "

Sad to see, seemed there was always a copy of this lying around when I was younger. www.farmersalmanac.com/fond-fare…

\n", "date_published": "2025-11-06T22:09:59-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/06/sad-to-see-seemed-there.html" }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/11/05/moonrise-over-frederick-maryland.html", "content_html": "

Moonrise over Frederick, Maryland.

\n\"A\n", "date_published": "2025-11-05T07:31:33-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/11/05/moonrise-over-frederick-maryland.html", "tags": ["Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/31/the-firewood-box-is-starting.html", "content_html": "

The firewood box is starting to come together. I thought this project was going to be quick and easy but you know how that goes…

\n\"A\n", "date_published": "2025-10-31T12:59:39-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/31/the-firewood-box-is-starting.html", "tags": ["woodworking","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/30/started-working-on-a-small.html", "content_html": "

Started working on a small cherry firewood box for the home. Almost ready to start with the joinery after completing the prep of the panels. I’m going to go with mortises and tenons for this one. I thought about through tenons, but think I’ll just go with hidden joints here. This will have curved sides, which will be fun to make.

\n\"the\n", "date_published": "2025-10-30T07:34:23-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/30/started-working-on-a-small.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/20/im-on-a-bench-modding.html", "content_html": "

I’m on a bench modding kick. Years ago, I installed a small vise on the left end of my Nicholson bench, reclaimed from a discarded Harbor Freight small workbench. I use it to hold small things.

\n\"Harbor\n

This evening, I replaced the arm with a cast iron wheel I’ve been holding on to for years, looking for something to do with it. They just don’t make good parts like this these days. I save everything… This wheel comes from a Pfaff sewing machine I took apart about ten years ago. I think it’s a nice upgrade to the vise.

\n

As an aside, I turned the base of the old sewing machine table to a cabinet to hold all of my network stuff (Synology, hubs, switch, etc.) about a year ago. I documented that in an earlier post.

\n\"Harbor\n", "date_published": "2025-10-20T19:44:15-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/20/im-on-a-bench-modding.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos","shop tools"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/20/this-weekend-i-mounted-a.html", "content_html": "

This weekend I mounted a Moxon vise to the end of my workbench, which is a big upgrade for my work and only looks a little weird.

\n\"moxon\n

I had mainly been using this old vise I picked up when we lived in Europe, but one of the wooden screws started to fail.

\n\"Old\n

But I also had this benchtop Moxon vise I made many years ago. I rarely used this because it wasn’t very sturdy (I made it too small). So I took it apart and re-used the face and hardware and mounted it on the bench. The back is now a sturdy piece of Ash attached to the bench with eight inch heavy-duty wood screws.

\n\"benchtop\n", "date_published": "2025-10-20T07:35:23-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/20/this-weekend-i-mounted-a.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos","shop tools"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/16/completed-the-outdoor-shoe-rack.html", "content_html": "

Completed the outdoor shoe rack, looks much nicer than the plastic tray we were using before — and finally thought of something interesting to do with the small piece of teak taking up room in my shop.

\n\"Teak\n", "date_published": "2025-10-16T16:01:48-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/16/completed-the-outdoor-shoe-rack.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/16/taking-on-a-smaller-fun.html", "content_html": "

Taking on a smaller, fun project: using a small slab of teak I picked up at an offcut sale many years ago to make an outdoor mat for shoes and boots.

\n\"Cutting\n", "date_published": "2025-10-16T08:41:05-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/16/taking-on-a-smaller-fun.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/15/completed-the-hallway-linen-closet.html", "content_html": "

Completed the hallway linen closet door. The top and bottom are open for airflow, as it’s used for bedding. Most interesting parts to me are the repurposed chair top used for the curve, embedded magnets to keep it closed, and I cut the grooves in the frame to house the cherry plywood panels by hand with as small as a lip as possible (about 1/8th of an inch).

\n\"A\n", "date_published": "2025-10-15T14:44:28-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/15/completed-the-hallway-linen-closet.html", "tags": ["woodworking","handtools","Photos"] }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/13/this-is-nice-to-see.html", "content_html": "

This is nice to see from Fastmail: native desktop apps for Mac, Linux, Windows. I wonder if the FMail developer will call it quits now? www.fastmail.com/blog/desk…

\n", "date_published": "2025-10-13T06:19:57-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/13/this-is-nice-to-see.html" }, { "id": "http://troykitch.micro.blog/2025/10/10/im-trying-asahi-linux-on.html", "content_html": "

I’m trying Asahi Linux on an M1 Macbook Air and it’s great, except that the battery continues to drain A LOT during sleep. That’s not so great. In comparison, I have a 2009 Macbook Pro running Peppermint OS that is also great with a battery in sleep that lasts for months.

\n", "date_published": "2025-10-10T19:31:36-04:00", "url": "https://troykitch.com/2025/10/10/im-trying-asahi-linux-on.html" } ] }